An Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) displays information about programs a viewer is currently watching as well as information about other programs on different channels or at different times. The first EPGs were typically displayed on one channel of a cable television system. These early EPGs were simple, displaying short program descriptions and scrolling past the screen at a predetermined rate. Also, these EPGs typically did not allow for user interaction. More recent digital EPGs allow for the user to interact with the programming schedule, and to view programs while scanning the guide. However, digital EPGs still typically rely on the television to display the EPG.
Currently, EPGs are displayed only on the primary video display, typically a television, itself. This is because a television is usually the most expensive component in a home entertainment system, and further because until recently a television was the only display device in many homes. As a result, the television is used to show both the programs themselves as well as the EPG.
Typically, an EPG will be displayed in one of two ways. It will either be displayed using the full television screen, completely preempting the programming selection, or the EPG may occupy only a portion of the screen as an overlay, the rest of the screen used to display the current program. Where an EPG only occupies a portion of the screen, however, it may be difficult to read because of the small size of the text, or may not provide much information about the current selection or other programs. Additionally, the main program is interrupted by the overlay.
This method of displaying programming information can have several other disadvantages as well. When there are several viewers, if one decides to view the EPG, all other viewers must wait until the one using the EPG is finished. This interruption may be quite inconvenient for the other viewers.
What is needed is a method of displaying programming information that is neither difficult to read, nor disrupts others when there are multiple viewers.